WESTMINSTER, Vt. — What a difference a year can make.

In last year’s matchup, a Springfield squad primarily composed of underclassmen held on for a 60-56 win against a senior-laden unit from Bellows Falls.

Given the expected returning talent for Springfield and several key departing seniors for Bellows Falls, it appeared the Cosmos were well-positioned to defeat their rivals to the south again this season.

Circumstances can change rapidly in high school sports, which was evident on Saturday afternoon as Bellows Falls cruised to a 67-46 victory at Holland Gymnasium.

Former Springfield star Carson Clark wasted little time reminding his previous team of his talent while opening the scoring with his first of four three-pointers throughout the contest. In addition to Clark, Bellows Falls also received key contributions from a couple of other newcomers. The freshmen duo of Jaden Bazin and Saul James combined for 10 points in the opening period as the Terriers raced out to a 19-9 lead after eight minutes of play.

Without senior guard Cameron Williams, Springfield’s offensive woes continued in the second quarter. The Terriers’ lead quickly ballooned to 26-9 before they entered the half with a 32-17 advantage.

Towering center Nick Wiese helped spark the Cosmos offense in the second half, scoring 13 points after the break. Despite Wiese’s offensive outburst, Springfield was unable to chip away at the host’s lead. In addition to the absence of Williams, it was evident that the Cosmos were struggling to fill the void left by last season’s leading scorer James Gultekin, who returned to prep school this year.

Carson Clark torched his former team for 20 points, Saul James followed with 12, and Jaden Bazin added 10. Nick Wiese was the top scorer for Springfield with 15 points and Bradley Gallant was next with 10.

Next up for Springfield (3-5) is a home game against White River Valley on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Bellows Falls (7-4) heads to Hartford for its next contest on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.